ACROSS VALLEY, EACH HAD REASON TO VOTE

For voters in Dunstable,
Townsend, and Pepperell,
even the rain could
not keep them from casting
their votes on Tuesday.
Whether motivated
by consequential ballot
questions or by the current
political climate, people
of all ages lined up to
make their voices heard.

While some voters
were more vocal about
who and what brought
them to the polls, other
voters shared how it was
the privilege of voting
that brought them out.

"Voting is a constitutional
privilege that I
chose to exercise every
voting day," said Dave
Schafer, 62, of Townsend.

Ballot questions of
interest and concern for
many voters were Question
1, and how it affects
patient-to-nurse limits, and
Question 3, a referendum
on the 2016 law which prohibits
discrimination on
the basis of gender identity
in places of public accommodation.

Michael Sullivan, 23, of Townsend.

Voters in both
Townsend and Pepperell
said it was one of the most
important reasons for them
making it to the polls.

Penny Murphy, 60 of
Townsend, said Question 1
was important to her,
because she has family and
friends who are in nursing.

Jesse Agger, 32 of Pepperell,
shared how Question
3 was personal. She
said she would be accompanying
friends who are
transgendered to the polls
in their hometown.

Millennials were also
eager to vote in
Townsend, and for different
reasons.

"I saw an article somewhere
that my generation
doesn't vote, and it's a big
deal, especially when it
comes to women and gender
equality. My mom was in
the military, and I wanted
my vote to support gender
equality," said Chelsea Hurley,
21, of Townsend.

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Michael Sullivan, 23, of
Townsend, said he voted
party line. "I voted all
Republican. I am huge on
gun laws," Sullivan said.

Some voters said they
were reacting to President
Donald Trump's election,
choosing Democratic candidates
whom they said
will stand up to the conservative agenda.

Julie and Jeff Podgorni of Dunstable,
for example, said they voted "all
anti-Trump."

In Pepperell, members of the Democratic
and Republican town committees sat outside
under tents.

Chelsea Hurley, 21, of Townsend.

Merle Green, of Pepperell,
was at the polls in support of his
son, Rick Green, a Pepperell resident who
ran for Congress in the 3rd Congressional
District. "I was not surprised that he ran
for Congress," Green said of his son.

Members of the Republican Town
Committee seemed to be most concerned
about Question 2, which would
create a state commission to study the
impact on money in politics.

The Democratic Town Committee
showed support for Question 3, with
Nannene Gowdy, 77, stating how a "no"
vote would hurt a lot of her friends and
family. When asked what brought her
out to vote, Tamara Gonda, 55, of Pepperell
said, simply, to change the country.

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